The Charlotte Democrat., 1887-12-23
The Mission Of a Tramp.

Ii was only family gathering at Squire |
Dunlap's this Thanksgiving. Johns folks
had come down from town, and Lida and
the children had stopped on their way
home from church.
"Tye a great mind 10 set the table in
the Kitchen" said Mother Dunlap. "It
is more comfortable than the dining.
room"
"Do, mother" returned John, quickly.
"It will be so much more homelike. 1t
does not seem like old times when you
make quality of Ida and me-"
"ThaL's So" chimed in matronlY Ida.
"There is no place so heartsome as the dear
old Kitchen"
So the long extension table was spread
in the large cozY kitchen, and the whole
family, from little toddling Freddy to the
silver-headed grandfather, gathered round
the tempting dinner. While the Squire
was carving the great brown turkey, g.
timid knock at the door hushed the merry
voices.
"Some of those impudent peddlers, said
Mother Dunlap, as she resolutely placed
her coffee urn on the stove. "I'll send
him about his business, I'll be bound" she
continued as she crossed the kitchen to
answer the knock. But when she opened
the door she stepped hastily back; for, in
stead of the expected peddler, it was a
most forlorn, woe-be-gone tramp, humbly
begging for a morsel to eat. His white
hair and hungry face did not appeal to
| her in vain. Bidding him take a seat on
the porch, she closed the door and began
buttering bread to satisfy his hunger.
30 mother, let him come in and eat by
the fire." coaxed the Squire.
| Ioahna nunloni mat uiah Won
could see his tattered, dirty clothes. Why,
he'd bring us cholera or smallpox" re-
sponed Mrs Dunlap, briskly.
| "Never mind, mother, he can sit on
that old split-bottom chair, and Ill guar
antee he will not disturb as. See how it
storms, and this is Thanksgiving, you
know. Let us make one fellow being
happy"
$50, though very ungraciously, the
tramp was given a warm corner in the
kitchen; and heaping plate of hot turkey,
savory, vegetables, and steaming bowl
of fragrant coffee were followed by de-
licious dessert, with such great slices of
cake and pie as would have satisfied the
hunger of much more critical taste than
that of the miserable vagraut.
sit is Thanksgiving, and I want every
body to have something to give thanks
for," the Squire would say, at every new
manifestation of his generosity.
The poor tramp's eyes, as well as his
tongue, were not remiss in expressing his
gratitude until, to complete the feast, the
kind-hesrted host pressed upon him glass
of sparkling wine.
Starting back quickly, look of horror
came into the small gray eyes that had
been so expressionless before, and the
tramp said, in a hoarse voice: ''Take it
away. It is a murderer"
"Uugrateful wretch % cried the Squire.
"How dare you insult my hospitality thusf
After partaking of my bounty, to cast
such slander in my teeth !"
"Pardon me, SIR I meant no offense,'
answered the wretched specimen of hu.
manity, "but can not touch any kind ol
!. spirits"
"It is not often that gentlemen in your
standing are so choice about their fare,
retorted Mr.. Dunlap, in a mocking tone
81 agree with you, sir; but when tell
you that once had happy home, and
} gathered my sons and daughters around
me on Thanksgiving days, and bid them
drink each others health, just as you are
} doing to-day, and that it was the wine
glass that ruined that home, and sent me
. a vagabond upon Gods earth, you will
not wonder that hate it's very sight"
"That's no affair of mine," snapped the
, Squire, as he passed the glass in his hand
, to his youngest son, William, youth o.
seventeen.
, The tramp shuddered little, and ther
: went on, as if talking to himself: eyes,
was once a respected barrister, who moi
only bequeathed to my children the legacy
of depraved appetite, but who strength
, ened the appetite by daily tampering will
choice wines in their presence and on ex
, ira occasions, aud allowing them the lux
4 urY of my rare champagnes. Twenty
i. years ago to-day I rose from my las
Thanksgiving dinner. My intemperat'
i habits had become SO public as to ipjur
, me socially, and my business, of course
had begun to suffer. Financial trouble
q stared me in the face, and to escape tn,
9 convictions of my conscience | dranl
r deeper than ever before, that day. Il
r my maddened fury, which increased will
D the shadows of the night, I took my littl
r six-year-old boy from the arms Of his mothe
a and threw him down the stairs, iDjurin.
!. him in such way as to render him Grip
+ pie for life. Iidolized my baby, and th
blow almost killed me. Still only vowe'
4 to be more temperate IN my use OF into
n eating drink-not to forsake them alto
q gether-and soon / was as much thei
slave as ever. Creditors seized our pre-
}. pertY, and we were cast upon the col
q world-homeless. Ny clients forsook me
o and the support of the family devolve
4 upon my poor. frail wife.
). 81 will never forget the next Thanks
J. giving-the last my wife spent on eartt
a By hard work and close economy she an
e the boys had saved enough TO buy tul
Y key and a few other luxuries for th
d Thanksgiving dinner-thereby hoping
n give me a pleasant surprise. l overhear
/ their planning, and after they had retire
a 1 rose from my feigned sleep and carrie
i the turkey to the nearest saloon aud trade
ia it for liquor. 10 the morning the reproacht
J. and tears of my family so sIgered m
"a that drove them out into the blindin
"a storm, and in spite of their pleadiDgs
n was arrested, and few weeks later l W;
# sentenced to six months imprisonment.
d "When again breathed the free air
heaven, my delicate wife and crippled bo
were dead-buried in the Potter's Field